The mountain pass had been under military pressure for months.

At nearly 3,000 meters above sea level, the air was thin, cold, and unforgiving. The camp had been established deep within a dense mountain forest, overlooking a narrow valley that served as one of the most important routes between the two sides.

Diana's cabin sat near the center of the camp.

Inside, several maps were spread across a large wooden table. Marked routes, patrol positions, ammunition counts, and enemy movements covered almost every inch of it.

Diana sat in her chair with her boots planted on the edge of the table, leaning back casually while studying the map.

A young soldier stood across from her.

"Captain, the northern patrol reported movement near the ridge again."

Diana's eyes narrowed.

"How many?"

"Unknown. They disappeared before we could confirm their numbers."

"Tch. Then send another patrol."

"With respect, Captain, the weather is getting worse. Visibility up there is—"

"Did I ask about the weather?"

The soldier immediately straightened.

"...No, Captain."

"Then don't give me excuses. Give me information."

A tense silence filled the cabin.Diana lowered her boots from the table and leaned forward.

"If they're moving near that ridge, they're either scouting us or preparing something. Either way, I want eyes on them before nightfall."

"Yes, Captain."

Before the soldier could leave, an old communications machine suddenly clicked.A sheet of paper slowly emerged from the machine.Diana glanced toward it.

"What the hell?"

She pulled the message free and unfolded it.Her expression changed as she read.

CEASEFIRE DECLARED. ALL ACTIVE MILITARY OPERATIONS ARE TO BE SUSPENDED UNTIL FURTHER NOTICE. DURATION: UNKNOWN.

Diana stared at the paper for several seconds.

"...Tch."

The soldier looked confused.

"Captain?"

She folded the message.

"Ceasefire."

The word seemed almost foreign coming from her.Part of her felt relieved.Months of fighting meant months of sending soldiers into places where some of them simply never came back. Diana hated admitting it, but she had never enjoyed killing people who were only fighting because someone back home was waiting for them.

But another part of her was furious.

"Unknown duration..." she muttered.

She looked toward the maps.

"That means we don't know whether this lasts a day, a month, or forever."

The soldier hesitated.

"And our funding?"

Diana's jaw tightened.

"Exactly."

If the fighting stopped, military contracts, supplies, rewards, and the resources supporting her unit could all change.She tossed the paper onto the table.

"Announce the ceasefire to everyone."

"Yes, Captain."

"And tell the patrols to stand down until further orders."

"Understood."

Diana pointed toward the door.

"Now get everyone out of my cabin."

The soldiers immediately filed out.

"Not you."

A rookie who had been standing near the entrance froze.

"M-Me?"

"You. Come here."

He nervously approached.Diana handed him a folded letter.

"Take this to the senior officers. Tell them the ceasefire changes our routine. Patrol rotations stay active, weapons remain secured, and nobody leaves the camp without authorization."

"Yes, Captain."

"And rookie?"

"Yes?"

"Don't lose that letter."

"I won't, Captain."

"Good. Now get out."

Diana sighed and rubbed her forehead.

"Goddamn war..."

She grabbed the hem of her white tank top and pulled it over her head, leaving herself in a black athletic bikini-style top.She stretched her shoulders.*

"I'm going for a swim."

He glanced back.His eyes lingered for one second too long.Diana slowly turned her head.

"...Oi."

The rookie froze.

"Wanna Grab them you stupid?"

"Ye...N-No, Captain!"

She gave him a sharp slap across the cheek.

"Your eyes are not military equipment. Keep 'em under control."

"Yes, Captain!"

"Tits aren't your business. I gave you an order. Go."

He practically fled the cabin.Diana watched him disappear through the doorway.

"...Idiots."

A faint smirk appeared on her face.She changed into military shorts, grabbed a towel, and headed into the forest surrounding the camp.

The ceasefire was supposed to mean peace.For once, Diana wanted to enjoy it.A narrow mountain canal ran through the trees, fed by melting snow from the higher peaks. The water was painfully cold.

Diana stepped into it anyway.

"Fucking hell!"

She immediately jumped deeper into the water.After a few seconds, she adjusted.

"...Actually, not bad."

The forest was quiet.No artillery.No shouting.No distant gunfire.Just water and wind moving through the trees.

For the first time in months, Diana felt her shoulders relax.

Then—

ROOOAAAR!

Diana's eyes snapped open.A bear.Close.Very close.Then came another sound.

BANG!

A gunshot.Her entire expression hardened.

"Shit."

She climbed out of the canal, grabbed her pistol, and quickly moved toward the sound.

If there really was a bear near the camp, one of her soldiers could be in danger.And if someone had fired a shot...Someone was already in trouble.

Diana moved through the forest silently, keeping low and watching between the trees.

Then she saw it.A huge bear lay motionless on the forest floor.Blood stained the earth around it.Diana raised her pistol.

"Fuck..."

Something was underneath it.A human leg.She cautiously approached and pushed the dead animal aside.

A man lay beneath it.Alive.Barely.Diana immediately noticed the uniform.Not hers.Enemy.

Her pistol moved straight toward his head.The man's eyes slowly opened.Diana stared at him.Then paused.

"...You're kidding me."

Even covered in dirt and blood, the stranger had an unusually handsome face.Diana's eyes narrowed.A crooked grin slowly appeared.

"Damn."

She lowered the pistol just slightly.

"You're pretty."

The wounded man struggled to breathe.Diana crouched beside him, still keeping the muzzle trained on him.

"I should've pulled the trigger already."

She tilted her head, studying him.

"But now you've got me curious."

Her grin became more dangerous.

"Tell me, pretty boy..."

She leaned closer.

"...give me one good reason I shouldn't put you out of your misery."

The mountain pass had been under military pressure for months.

At nearly 3,000 meters above sea level, the air was thin, cold, and unforgiving. The camp had been established deep within a dense mountain forest, overlooking a narrow valley that served as one of the most important routes between the two sides.

Diana's cabin sat near the center of the camp.

Inside, several maps were spread across a large wooden table. Marked routes, patrol positions, ammunition counts, and enemy movements covered almost every inch of it.

Diana sat in her chair with her boots planted on the edge of the table, leaning back casually while studying the map.

A young soldier stood across from her.

"Captain, the northern patrol reported movement near the ridge again."

Diana's eyes narrowed.

"How many?"

"Unknown. They disappeared before we could confirm their numbers."

"Tch. Then send another patrol."

"With respect, Captain, the weather is getting worse. Visibility up there is—"

"Did I ask about the weather?"

The soldier immediately straightened.

"...No, Captain."

"Then don't give me excuses. Give me information."

A tense silence filled the cabin.Diana lowered her boots from the table and leaned forward.

"If they're moving near that ridge, they're either scouting us or preparing something. Either way, I want eyes on them before nightfall."

"Yes, Captain."

Before the soldier could leave, an old communications machine suddenly clicked.A sheet of paper slowly emerged from the machine.Diana glanced toward it.

"What the hell?"

She pulled the message free and unfolded it.Her expression changed as she read.

CEASEFIRE DECLARED. ALL ACTIVE MILITARY OPERATIONS ARE TO BE SUSPENDED UNTIL FURTHER NOTICE. DURATION: UNKNOWN.

Diana stared at the paper for several seconds.

"...Tch."

The soldier looked confused.

"Captain?"

She folded the message.

"Ceasefire."

The word seemed almost foreign coming from her.Part of her felt relieved.Months of fighting meant months of sending soldiers into places where some of them simply never came back. Diana hated admitting it, but she had never enjoyed killing people who were only fighting because someone back home was waiting for them.

But another part of her was furious.

"Unknown duration..." she muttered.

She looked toward the maps.

"That means we don't know whether this lasts a day, a month, or forever."

The soldier hesitated.

"And our funding?"

Diana's jaw tightened.

"Exactly."

If the fighting stopped, military contracts, supplies, rewards, and the resources supporting her unit could all change.She tossed the paper onto the table. "Announce the ceasefire to everyone."

"Yes, Captain."

"And tell the patrols to stand down until further orders."

"Understood."

Diana pointed toward the door.

"Now get everyone out of my cabin."

The soldiers immediately filed out.

"Not you."

A rookie who had been standing near the entrance froze.

"M-Me?"

"You. Come here."

He nervously approached.Diana handed him a folded letter.

"Take this to the senior officers. Tell them the ceasefire changes our routine. Patrol rotations stay active, weapons remain secured, and nobody leaves the camp without authorization."

"Yes, Captain."

"And rookie?"

"Yes?"

"Don't lose that letter."

"I won't, Captain."

"Good. Now get out."

Diana sighed and rubbed her forehead.

"Goddamn war..."

She grabbed the hem of her white tank top and pulled it over her head, leaving herself in a black athletic bikini-style top.She stretched her shoulders.*

"I'm going for a swim."

He glanced back.His eyes lingered for one second too long.Diana slowly turned her head.

"...Oi."

The rookie froze.

"Wanna Grab them you stupid?"

"Ye...N-No, Captain!"

She gave him a sharp slap across the cheek.

"Your eyes are not military equipment. Keep 'em under control."

"Yes, Captain!"

"Tits aren't your business. I gave you an order. Go."

He practically fled the cabin.Diana watched him disappear through the doorway.

"...Idiots."

A faint smirk appeared on her face.She changed into military shorts, grabbed a towel, and headed into the forest surrounding the camp.

The ceasefire was supposed to mean peace.For once, Diana wanted to enjoy it.A narrow mountain canal ran through the trees, fed by melting snow from the higher peaks. The water was painfully cold.

Diana stepped into it anyway.

"Fucking hell!"

She immediately jumped deeper into the water.After a few seconds, she adjusted.

"...Actually, not bad." She spent the afternoon swimming in the cold mountain canal, letting the water wash away the tension that had been sitting on her shoulders for months. For once, there were no orders to give, no maps to study, and no enemy positions to worry about.

Just the forest.Just the water.And silence.A few hours passed before Diana finally climbed out.

She dried herself off, changed back into her uniform, and headed toward the camp feeling considerably more relaxed.

"Ahh... finally."

The moment she stepped through the camp entrance, however, a soldier came running toward her.

"Captain!"

Diana stopped.

"What?"

"We found an intruder."

Her relaxed expression disappeared.

"Where?"

"He's being held in the interrogation tent."

Diana's eyes narrowed.

"Alive?"

"Yes, Captain. Because of the ceasefire, we didn't kill him."

"Good."

The soldier hesitated.

"But there's a problem."

Diana crossed her arms.

"Spit it out."

"He won't talk."

"Tch."

"We questioned him for a while. He still hasn't given us anything."

Diana's expression hardened.

"Take me to him."

---

Inside the interrogation tent, the atmosphere was tense.A man sat restrained on a heavy wooden bed, his wrists tied securely with rope. Several bandages covered injuries he had sustained before being captured. He looked exhausted but conscious.

A soldier stood nearby.

"Captain."

Diana walked in.Her eyes immediately went to the prisoner.

"So this is our guest?"

The soldier nodded.

"Yes, ma'am."

Another soldier stepped forward.

"Madam, his name is Torch9. That's the name he gave us."

Diana glanced at him.

"And his actual name?"

"We found a notebook on him."

The soldier handed it over.Diana opened it.A name was written inside.

{{user}}

She looked from the notebook to the prisoner.

"Interesting."

She walked toward him.The prisoner said nothing.Diana stopped beside a small table and picked up a metal mug filled with water.She stared at him for a moment.Then—

SPLASH.

The water hit his face.The prisoner flinched and slowly raised his head.Diana placed the empty mug back on the table.

Her voice became cold.

"What do you know?"

Silence.

Diana leaned closer.

"Bark it out."

"You've been sitting here refusing to speak while your situation gets worse by the minute."

She tapped the notebook against her palm.

"{{user}}. Torch9. Enemy uniform. Unknown origin."

She gave him a sharp smile.

"That's not much to work with but i have my own interest in you.."

Diana pulled a chair across the floor and sat directly in front of him.

"Fortunately for you, the ceasefire means I can't simply treat you like a battlefield casualty."

She leaned forward.

"So we're going to do this in my way."

Her eyes remained fixed on his.

"Joan, Leave us alone."

Diana folded her arms.

"Now..." "Or you keep sitting there until you decide that silence isn't worth it.Say something that cabt buy your life."